Obliviate
by PhoenixFireFourteen
Summary: How one word can change your entire life or your perspective of it. Two different points of view.


**Obliviate**

Hermione lay back on her bed, re-reading the letter from Ron. A slight smile played on her lips despite the dread of what she was going to do. How he could be so sweet in letters she did not know - he was still slightly awkward and bumbling when trying to convey his feelings yet his words made her feel warm and special inside.

And then it was replaced with a sickening sense of dread. Fear washed over her like waves as she contemplated her decisions. Surely it was the right thing to do?

Snatching her wand from her bedside table she paced around the room. As she furiously twirled her wand in her wand, willing him to come to her, she realised needed him. She mentally scolded herself - she was strong, she was brave. She was a Gryffindor! She refused to act like a whiny pathetic kind of girl that always needed a man - like Lavender Brown. Eugh, even the thought of her made her shudder.

She purposefully made her way down the stairs, wand in hand. All her life since the age of eleven was stored in this one piece of wood. And she was about to take away all her life from before that with it.

As she reached the bottom she steeled herself. It was for the best she thought to herself firmly. Her mother's soft voice drifted to her from the living room, her dulcet tones warm and comforting, like that of her embrace.

"Hermione, sweetheart, are you alright? Tea's ready when you want to come down." Ready. Were they ready? Was she ready? If only she knew Hermione thought bitterly. If only they both knew.

Her father was sat n the sofa watching the news. He had her arms around her mother and the familiarity of the scene caused Hermione a bittersweet smile.

She crept into the living room and positioned herself, raising her wand.

A flood of memories came back to her; playing dolls with her mother as a child, her first day of nursery, falling of the swing in the back garden at the age of seven and being comforted, how her father would send her valentines cards every year, how they would both tuck her in and kiss her goodnight, how they would love her every single day without fail.

But it was all for the better. She needed them to be safe. After the war, she would retrieve their memories. Mustering all the energy she had she whispered:

"_Obliviate_."

* * *

Lavender stood in the pouring rain, clutching her mother's umbrella as if it as the only thing left for her; which in a way it was. She was attending her mother's funeral. A low sob built up from in her throat but she would not let it out. Lavender Brown would remain composed whilst in the presence of others, even if she paid for it later. Besides, what was the use of crying? She was a Gryffindor and would act like one.

True, she was vain, shallow and empty-headed but couldn't others see it was just an act? "You are a precious child Lavender. A beautiful little girl. You can get anything in life if you remember the way to get it is by being smart." Lavender scoffed, marvelling in not getting a glare for darling mother for acting so unladylike. Smart. If by smart Cecelia Brown meant cunning, deceptive and manipulative then yes she was smart and had gladly passed her talent down to her daughter.

Lavender felt a rush of giddiness at the thought of no longer having to obey her mother. What was wrong with her? It was her mum's funeral for Merlin's sake! She should not feel like this. But somewhere in the foggy confusion that was her thoughts she thought of the opportunities that lay ahead for her. She thought of Ron who was clearly never right for her. The only reason she wanted him was because he was popular, famous Harry Potter's sidekick. And if she couldn't get the real thing then she would settle for the second best.

But she felt it whenever they were together. He didn't care about her at all though he tried to act like it. He knew nothing of the person she really was, really could be. All he saw was a pretty, superficial girl who cared about nothing aside from herself, her looks and her clothes. He didn't realise that she was a Gryffindor for a reason.

For after all, she may act on Slytherin traits but she really was a true Gryffindor at heart.

It was time, she thought, to forget the past. Forget her mother and her so called 'words of wisdom'. After all, what had that done for her mother? She had been hunted down by Death Eaters and had died without even a wand in hand, probably too busy admiring her reflection to notice her attackers. She needed to move on. There was a war coming up and it would be fought in by Lavender. It was time to be honest with both herself and those around her. The childish days of giggling over gossip magazines and cute boys with Parvati were over. They had to grow up.

With a smirk of grim satisfaction she kneeled in front of her mother's grand tombstone, chuckling humourlessly to herself.

She was going to forget everything she had ever believed in and start afresh.

_Obliviate._

* * *

**A/N** - Another one-shot! It must be horrible to do what Hermione was doing, and I've always thought that Lavender must have something to her. I mean she is a Gryffindor! Please review!


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